THE CURRENT CONTEXT 
Lord Kelvin is a large, urban elementary school enrolling students in Kindergarten to Grade five. This year we have around 650 students attending Lord Kelvin, with a wide variety of needs. Our school population is extremely diverse, with approximately 50 different languages spoken at home, 60% of our population speaking a language other than English at home, Indigenous students and many learners with unique needs.

The staff at Lord Kelvin Elementary has grown with the student population. We have twenty-nine classrooms, four prep teachers (Library, Music, ADST and Physical Health Education) and an extensive school support team, which includes Learning Support Teachers, English Language Learner Teachers, a School Counselor, a Child and Youth Care Worker, an Indigenous Support Worker and a Speech and Language Pathologist.

There is also many Education Assistants who provide support in our classrooms.

The needs of our students are the first priority for all staff, and we want to focus on developing a common understanding and competency for all staff. Throughout this year, we will build a common language and understanding that will allow us to align supports for all our learners.

 
GOAL:  WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE 
  • To provide all school staff the opportunity to build their capacity and competency around inclusive education practices
  • To create systems and structures within our school that allow all students to be meaningfully supported, and to have exciting and relevant learning experience
PLAN:  THE STEPS WE WILL TAKE 
Action Plan:

  • Use Collaboration afternoons and Professional Development Days to connect around student needs and the services that are available (Classroom collaboration time, Math Minds/Jump Math common practice, Boxcar literacy and numeracy instruction, TAPS)
  • Have district staff (Speech and Language, Emily Larkman, Behaviour Specialist, Numeracy Facilitator, School Psychologist) provide regular support on site to staff, to build capacity and resources
  • Engage in a school wide Math program (Math Minds/Jump Math), so that all students are receiving Math learning in the same structure and format
  • Host monthly COLAs (Celebration of Learning Assembly) to highlight the learning in other classrooms, and to demonstrate the creative accommodations in place
  • Engage in class reviews as an entire School Based Team at least twice per year, to ensure students are receiving meaningful intervention for areas that they are struggling in
  • Use weekly LIF time for focused learning and staff collaboration, having monthly meetings with all Education Assistants to provide structured learning and collaboration opportunities
  • Use collaborative School Based Team practices to create schedules that utilize all the supports in the school
  • Purchase materials for the school that allow programming to be in place for all students (manipulatives, sensory materials, flexible seating, online licenses)
  • Develop alternative learning environments in the school to support student needs (targeted learning spaces, play based spaces, sensory spaces)
  • Use SEY2KT funding to support the transition of our 2024-2025 Kindergarten students
SUCCESS INDICATORS:  HOW WE WILL KNOW THAT OUR ACTIONS ARE HAVING THE DESIRED IMPACT 
  • As student needs are met and supported in the classroom, students will show regulation throughout the school day and meaningful engagement in learning noted by fewer calls for extra support
  • Staff will feel empowered and will have the resources and structures they need to support their learners demonstrated as above
  • Families will observe progressive growth and skill development in their children, both at home and through the documentation in report cards and three-way conferences
COMMUNICATION:  HOW WE WILL SHARE OUR LEARNING JOURNEY WITH OUR COMMUNITY 
  • Classroom communication with families (Sway)